Standard Member

Hey, I am putting together a home cinema system, and currently all I have is the amp, the Sony STR-V555ES. As per a previous thread, I am considering going for the AE Aegis Evo 3b package, but thought I would check peoples opinions on mixing and matching.

For example, I searched this forum for posts relating to this AE package, and one guy was saying that he couldnt live with the sub, and the centre speaker was a little weak

Do people think it is better to go for a speaker package, or can you put together a better set-up by mixing and matching?

What other issues are there? For example, will there certain speakers clash with others? If people do think that its worth considering mixing and matching, then does anyone have any suggestions for a budget of around 750  800?

Guest

I've mixed & matched speakers... although the front three are matched, but sides & rears are non-matching. Subwoofer matching in non-relevant.

Try and find the best sounding matching front three speakers. Then look for the best sounding rears & sides- as long as they sound good, with no colour to them (ie harsh, dull sounding) then they'll be fine.

Guest

I'd agree- my speakers are matched in pairs but thats it- fronts, rears, centre front and rear and front effects then I have the sub and I get a lot of "hmmm well you should match them blah blah" then I power it all up and they tend to agree. I would like to test the other speakers that go with my sub just to see what a "set" is like though.
I'm pretty sure that my hearing is so damaged from my set up in general I wouldn't notice the difference anyway...lol.

My advice would be to demo lots and then go with what you like, it's all about what you want from a system, not the guy in the shop etc!!

Banned

Whatever system you come up with there will always be someone that can see a problem with it, some real and some perceived.

The best system is probably five identical speakers but this tends to be impractical unless we are talking small satellites. The next best is five from the same manufacturer's range with similar tonal characteristics. The purists may complain but it's fine for most of us.

The problem with mix n match is that some speaker manufacturers voice theirs completely different from other manufacturers and if you have an "odd" centre speaker it becomes noticeable when voices or sounds pan across the sound stage.

It is less of a problem with rears as voices seldom pan from front to back and it is mainly bullets or helicopters.

If you can, have a listen to the JM Labs Sib & Cub setup or the B&W VM range as well as the Aegis

Guest

My next plan is to start upgrading speakers and matching them up with the fronts, personally I don't like satellite speakers, you just don't seem to get as much of "big" sounds from them, if you get what I mean, they're always very detailed but with big speakers you get more envoloped in the sound field....well I think anyway.....

Well-known Member

As most people have said,mixing and matching is often the way with systems,either by accident or design....it can work very well,and should be done by listening to as many sets of speakers as possible,with your own system.
Be sure to take time and be careful about selecting speakers for something that sounds good in your own home,not necessarily something that sounds exciting in the dealer's showroom.

Guest

I'd be happy to have my opinion changed, but it is horses for courses, I'm tempted to get a home demo on the package that goes with my sub just to see but then you have the hassle with wall mounting etc too I guess? Plus I like the visual effect of offensively big speakers lol

Definately blag a home demo though, not a showroom one as previously mentioned....

Well-known Member

I've actually ended up using quite small speakers in my house,having an offensively large pair of Linn Keltiks previously,but driven with the correct amps etc,the results are plenty loud enough....as you said,personal preferences...horses for courses.

Guest

It's not a 'loud' thing....it's difficult to describe, IMHO I've found that the sat systems I've heard are pin point precise and plenty loud enough, it's just....ahhh, no, it IS too difficult to describe lol. Mind you I've not heard a decent sat system for a good year or so, so I'll stay open minded on this one!!

Guest

I have to agree with Webster- I've heard M&K 150 range (and other mid sized satellite speakers), and they do sound good for AV, with lots of detail & attack. But IMO they're just too much- just too forward. OK for a couple of hours max, but I couldn't live with them. I believe using a Lexicon DC-2 and Bryston and Nad poweramps. For music I didn't like the limited bass frequency response of the sats, and asking the subwoofer to handle upto that point.

My Kef Reference might not have the power or dynamics of the M&K 150, but I can listen to my system loud, and it doesn't go shrill. IMO the M&K's do.

For music I prefer floorstanders (in a ideal room), with the floorstanders doing a bit more bass reproduction, and the subwoofer less. I found the M&k's being at 80hz and the subwoofer doing 80hz not as good as floorstanders (say 40hz LF corner) with subwoofer set at 40hz.

I'm currently using floorstanders for AV (set to 80hz) and standmount music speakers. This is only due to my room... if I had the perfect room I'll set the AV speakers to 40hz, and buy another set of floorstanders in another room for the music system.

Since I can tailer the sound on the AV system, room boom can be reduced... music system cannot- therefore the reason for standmount music speakers, with a subwoofer to compliment.

Active Member

As a starter for my system I bought the Millenium package from Richer Sounds as it was a stupid misprint allowing me to buy Two fronts, a centre and the two HT2 Bi Polar rear speakers for only £69. I only got it to get the rear surrounds which alone would have cost me £79 at the time.

Since then I have just been blown away by the sound of this set up. I was about to upgrade to the KEF eggs and they just could not get near the sound I was already getting when listening to music.

I have just changed my amp to a Marantz SR4300 and put some new speaker cables in this weekend and again there is cleaner sound. Why not check out RS and see if they do the AE's as you have a 14 day money back policy so you can listen to each one in your own home until you find the set up that pushes your buttons.

Guest

You also did a much better job of explaining what I was getting at I think the shrill part is getting there- SOME of the systems I've heard you could cut paper with the treble... I think big speakers give a much warmer richer sound if that makes any sense??

Standard Member

Incidentally, the living room is 15 x 13 and the TV will be in the corner  so this may effect how well larger speakers operate. However, the best advice seems to be to get a home demo

My budget for the speakers is around 750 / 800.

I have demod the M&K K5 system before, actually, it was when I was looking for my stereo system, which is the Arcam CD72, Arcam A85 and B&W CDM 1NTs. Id like to upgrade the CD player at some point, and I auditioned the A85 teamed up with the P85, and it sounded really nice However, thats a different story.

As I was demoing the stereo system, the K5 system was in the demo room, and I tried it out both in stereo (with the sub) and in full surround too. I was very impressed with the stereo sound as well as the surround. I dont have much experience in terms of pure listening, but I can say that the tiny K5s sounded crystal clear, and the music sound every bit as good as it does on my CDM 1NTs. Having said that, the cost of two K5s plus the sub is > the B&Ws.

Do you think the M&Ks will fill the living room effectively? They have the benefit of a smaller centre and rears, as it might be hard to set up larger ones

Of course, they carry a much larger price tag than the 750/800 budget, but if you have to listen to them every day then hey I could get what I can from the budget and then add another K5 each month

Active Member

Hi Gavin
My room is a bit bigger than yours with my tv in the corner.From my own expensive mistakes i would advise against large speakers especially rear ported models.most ported models sound boomy in confined areas that is why i went the m&k route
. my m&ks easily fill my room and thats on the end of my nad receiver they also sound great in stereo with my svs filling in below 80hz.Save up and go the m&k route you wont be dissapointed.
Cheers Gonzo.

Standard Member

IanJ, do you have any suggestions for good subs? Obviously if the M&K isn't up to scratch the intention will be to get one that is better. However, I do of course have to consider the price

Gonzo, I think I like your suggestion of saving and going for the M&Ks. Do you have your speakers on stands? If so, which ones, and how much did they cost? With the K5s being small, it is ok to put the rear speakers on wall brackets?

Also, is it worth using the K4 tripoles for the rears, or do K5s do a good enough job? Similarly, is a K7 much better than a K5 for the centre?

Active Member

Hi Gavin
The ae are ported speakers.
At the momement i have my 850s on mission stance and they look really good as the fronts of the 850s are metal silver mesh.
The three 850s and the k-4s should have been over 2k but managed to get them for 1,623 quid.If you pm me i will tell you who to contact.
Sorry dont know much about the other k-series but if you do a search on google iam sure you will get plenty of info.
You could look at getting a secondhand sub like the B&Wasw675 which is a cracking little sub.I sold mine 6 months old for 365 quid.
Cheers Gonzo.